BMW's M Division Is Working On Hybrid Cars — Inevitable Or Sacrilege?

German carmaker BMW's performance division'M' has started developing hybridised performance cars.

Ever since it came to life in 1972, BMW's M Division has been a bastion for performance car enthusiasts who wanted cars that looked like their regular non-M counterparts while still being able to perform when needed.

However, it would seem that even M (for Motorsport) is joining the electrification bandwagon despite the fact that current hybrid technology isn't ideal.

BMW's M Division Is Working On Hybrid Cars

Speaking to Autocar UK, M division's vice president, Dirk Hacker confirmed that BMW's performance arm is already testing prototype cars powered by hybrid powertrains as it looks to keep its cars in line with tougher emission norms while still retaining the everyday usability.

BMW's M Division Is Working On Hybrid Cars

Hacker told that the switch towards hybrids cars was an ineluctable fate stating that the company could not avoid the need for electrification. He went on to say, "It is true that we are working on hybrid power already. For now, all I will say is that we are working on a very precise technical solution, but there is no final decision on how to deploy the concept."

BMW's M Division Is Working On Hybrid Cars

Hacker also said that the big concern for M was the fact that electrifying its cars would add weight which in turn would impact the pace and agility of the cars.

BMW's M Division Is Working On Hybrid Cars

He told the British publication, "Adding mass to performance cars is never ideal, but if we can use electrification to install more performance, then we start to have the answers. That might be more speed, or it might be the ability for a car to be driven on electric power in a city. It might also be the case that we need different answers to that question in different cities."

BMW's M Division Is Working On Hybrid Cars

Hacker stated that latest generation of electric tech which is slated to arrive in BMW cars in 2021 would allow engineers more options to work with than currently available to them.

However, Hacker also stated that BMW was committed to building internal combustion engines as long as it was legislatively possible.

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BMW's M Division Is Working On Hybrid Cars

DriveSpark Thinks!
BMW M's confirmation that it is working on hybrid versions of its performance cars is another blow to the performance enthusiast who prefers the rumble of internal combustion to the silence of electric motors.

In the long term, hybrids and electric cars could be the only way out for the car industry. While that may get us quicker everywhere (the 2020 Tesla Roadster comes to mind), the aural pleasure from the internal combustion engine and the lightness of current cars (battery packs are a rather heavy bunch) is something we should cherish before the sound of silence becomes the soundtrack of the roads.

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Read more on: #bmw
Article Published On: Thursday, November 23, 2017, 18:20 [IST]
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